Tale as Old as TiLogan!
by phantom-lass
Summary: Mutant High is putting on a show - Beauty and the Beast. Who will play who? Surely it can't be that hard. Set after X-Men 2 and everybody lived. ROGAN.
1. Chapter 1

**I do not own the X-men or Beauty and the Beast :-(**

**Chapter 1**

Logan sat in the professor's office trying to stifle the yawn that was rising through his throat and tickling the back of his mouth as he attempted to pay attention – or look like it at least.

Just what was it with these people anyway?

Whoever heard of having a staff meeting at the ungodly time of 9am? And just to make it worse everyone in attendance had obviously had a really good night's sleep and were utterly bright eyed and bushy tailed. Jean and Scott were making eyes at each other and holding hands across the arms of their seats, Ororo was bright and attentive (as always) and the professor was his normal steady self.

_Damn it. _

Logan rubbed a hand across his face and blinked trying to clear his head of the slight fuzziness. He couldn't even remember his last nightmare free night and since the whole 'Stryker' incident the dreams had only gotten worse – not that he regretted leaving the guy to die, after all, if anyone deserved to die it was William Stryker.

To say that they were so advanced in the technology department the security in the building was lousy and he didn't trust them to look after Marie. What if the raid had happened before he had arrived back...? She could have been taken with the other kids and the part of his mind that was all soldier told him that Stryker would have loved experimenting on her with her skin – the very thought of anything being done to her was enough to bring a growl to his throat.

"...Beauty and the Beast,"

Logan's mind stopped wandering and jumped back to the conversation going in about him. How had things gone from the upcoming exams to 'Beauty and the Beast'? Could a subject change like that?

"Excuse me?" he grumbled, clearing his throat and shifting in his seat.

"_Thank you for joining us Logan," _The professor's voice drifted sarcastically through his mind.

He threw Xavier a scowl. He hated the whole mind-meld, telepathy thing and he knew that. Besides they were all used to his grouchiness in the morning anyway so why did the professor always find it necessary to make comment like that.

"We are putting on a show this year Logan," the professor clarified acting as though the mental comment had never been made.

_A show? Seventh circle of hell here I come. _

"Why?"

"In an attempt to show the community that there is nothing to fear from us and that the children are just like other children," the professor patiently explained.

"And a show is going to do this?" Logan asked slowly.

He knew that since the school had been all over the news a few months ago they had been at the centre of many stories.

"High schools all over the country do it all the time. It gives the parents and others a chance to see what their kids are capable of and a chance to raise funds through selling tickets," Scott decided to answer the question.

_Yeah and I bet that mind reading and walking through walls isn't part of the capabilities. _

"So the kids are goin' to be in a show?" he asked, just to get things straight.

"Yes,"

"Here?"

"Yes,"

"And it is goin' to be 'Beauty and the Beast'?"

"Yes,"

Logan shrugged at the answer to the final question and sat back to listen in silence to the rest of the conversation. 'Beauty and the Beast'? He thought back to a couple of months ago to when he had watched it with Marie. She had been feeling down and he had been more than willing to do anything to cheer her up so they had both ended up in front of the TV in the rec room watching a cartoon – not exactly rough and tough Wolverine viewing but if it cheered her up then whatever. He remembered her mouthing the words to the songs as she sat nestled against his side.

He had found out that night that it was her favourite story and it had worked in cheering her up. The reason for her depression had not vanished though. And that reason was one word. Bobby.

_Damn kid. _

He remembered waking up one morning to her battering on his bedroom door and he had been able to smell her tears before he had even opened it.

She had gone to Bobby's room before breakfast to find him and that Kitty girl snuggled up nice and cosy. It had broken her heart while Logan had been ready to rip the boy apart for making her feel unworthy because of her skin and limitation.

Didn't he know a good thing when he had it?

Logan wasn't blind because he definitely did. He had known from the minute he had seen her small and lost little figure walk into that sleazy bar. From the minute her scent had drifted to him through the mixture of sweat, stale smoke and cheep perfume.

His mate.

Now that one had been difficult to grasp. The instant recognition he had felt when he had seen her walk into the bar and he had looked through the wire wall of the cage to see her pale face had been so strong. The overwhelming protectiveness he had felt towards her when he had seen her curled up in his truck. It had been an instant spark, as though something in him just fell into place and it was no longer himself he was living for but for her...

But at the time it was wrong. She was too young. So he had tried to show her his feelings in the only way he could. He had promised to look after her and when it had came to it he was more than willing to give his life for hers and had felt joy when her mutation had sucked his own from his body allowing her to heal both on the occasion when he had stabbed her and when Magneto had put her in that machine.

He knew that everyone was under the impression that he had some kind of unrequited love for Jean Grey and at the minute it was better for them all to think that any way. Well...everyone but the professor who had pretty much told him to let her grow up and had all but thrown him out of the mansion more than a year ago to go and "search for his past".

So he had done it. He had left and then what happened. He came back o find her with some boy.

And then as if that wasn't enough for him to deal with Stryker invaded the school and they had all ended up at the boy's house – and man had his parent been annoying.

"Have you tried not being a mutant?" the mother had asked.

How stupid do questions get.

Then Marie had gone flying through the hole in the jet when it had been hit by a missile. His soul had nearly broken when he had heard her frightened scream as she had been sucked out of the plane. In the split second it had taken Kurt to teleport from the jet and back again he had thought he had lost her and there was nothing he could do. And then to top things of Mystique decided to play games with him when they had formed that uneasy alliance for a few days. First playing Jean and then when she didn't get the reaction she wanted trying Storm and finally Marie. Seeing Storm's white hair and darker complexion give way to Marie's brown and white streaked hair and pale face had been enough for him to lose it with the other mutant.

The professor had given him one long lecture about the 'boyfriend' upon arriving back at the mansion and the Wolverine within him was not happy about the idea. But he stayed. After what had happened with Stryker he had had no plans of leaving. They had grown close as he had tried to spend as much time with her as possible without making her feel crowded or interfering with her life as the last thing he wanted was Xavier throwing him out again for another year.

"I understand how you feel Logan and how difficult it is for you to watch the one that you view as yours be with someone else but she is young and she needs to live," the professor had told him – like he didn't know that already. He supposed it could be worse. The professor did understand how he felt and accepted it as long as he did not force her into anything. Like he would ever so that to her.

But now Bobby was out of the picture and Marie was starting to come out of her low spell and he was once again seeing the happy girl he had seen his first day back at the mansion when she had thrown her arms around him in welcome.

He brought his wondering mind back to the discussion just in time to hear the professor's closing words.

"Auditions will be started tomorrow after lunch and final parts will be decided at the end of the week,"

* * *

Marie rinsed the rest of the soap from her hair and body, enjoying the warmth against her skin. She hadn't slept very well the night before and was trying her best to clear her head and since the cup of coffee hadn't worked the shower had been idea number two.

She hummed to herself as she slid the door to the stall to the side and climbed out grabbing a towel and wrapping it about herself.

She was feeling happy today. Happy in a way that she hadn't felt since she had found Bobby and...

She shook her head stopping the train if thought before it got any further.

She cleared the mirror of steam and thought over what she had to do that day. Her classes didn't start for at least an hour and she had done all her work for them already the night before. She had Ororo for history first thing and then Scott for Maths and Jean for English. A joy filled day all round. No doubt Logan would spend some time with her and put her off her homework at the end of the day – not that she minded, she loved having him around so much but she knew he would leave eventually...

She turned from the mirror after examining her spot free complexion – it seemed that people weren't the only things that couldn't touch her skin bacteria and dirt couldn't settle either - and only had the time to register her foot catching on the bathroom mat before she let out a squeal and landed on her back.

_Ooouuuch!_

Before she could gather her sense and clamber to her feet the door of her and Jubilee's shared bathroom went flying open to reveal a battle ready Logan with his claws extended.

_What's he doing here? Wait I am on my back in a towel and LOGAN is here. _

Several things registered with her at that point.

One – lots of deadly skin was currently on display.

Two – the towel had ridden up and was exposing a far bit of her legs.

Three – the floor was very, very hard and she was going to have one mega big bruise on her hip in the morning.

Four – LOGAN was staring at her.

She squealed in embarrassment and was on her feet in one second flat clutching the almost knee length towel tightly to her body.

"Logan," she screeched mortified.

She would have been amused by the changing expression on his face that went from guarded and ready to kill, to bemused, to embarrassment within in a second if she wasn't so humiliated herself.

"Umm, I'll...Umm...I'll be in the hall," he turned rapidly and rushed away.

She groaned in embarrassment as she watched the door shut again and heard his steps move across the room and out the door.

Surely the day could only get better.

**Hi everyone. So here I give you another Rogan. **

**I hit a bit of a block with 'Is This a Dream?' and in an attempt to un-bung my poor brain of the blockage I came up with this. So this is the story that will be getting added to when I hit snags in my other to try and get things moving. I don't really know where it will go since it kinda came out of nowhere. But as you can all tell it is set after X-Men 2 and Jean didn't die and Logan isn't in denial whoop whoop ;-)**

**Please let me know what you think.**

**Keep safe and have a great weekend.**

**:-)**


	2. Chapter 2

**I still own nothing. **

**Chapter 2**

Logan stumbled from the bedroom and into the hall after groping blindly for the door handle and closing it firmly behind him. He breathed deeply and leaned against the wall.

_Damn. Damn. Damn._

He had heard her shriek from down the corridor when he had been on his way to see her and he had panicked, not even thinking when he burst through the door ready for anything. Well...anything other than the actual situation. Seeing Marie sprawled out on the floor with only a towel covering her body – and not very well as it had ridden up to her thighs – was not exactly what he had expected to see.

"Damn it," he growled viciously, thumping the wall with a balled up fist he stalked down the hall intending on having a very long danger room session.

* * *

When Marie had told herself that her day could get no worse she did not realise how wrong she could be. Oh it wasn't big things to begin with. It was lots of little things that added together.

First a pen burst on her bed covering her light blue duvet with sticky black ink, then, while putting on her gloves she ripped a finger and she had to dig around looking for another pair – it wasn't that she had a lack of gloves but she had had everything laid out nicely for her just to put on and gradually her overall plan for the morning was deteriorating - , her hair dryer blue a fuse half way through drying her hair so she had to resort to pulling it into a bun at the back of her head and last but not least just as she was pulling in her sweater Jubilee came bursting into the room screeching at the top of her lung about something. Just as she turned to face the noise her foot caught on the cable of her broken hairdryer and sent her flying towards the ink filled bed covering her top in ink.

Marie had had enough. She moaned in annoyance as she straightened herself form the undignified heap she had landed in and glared at her friend.

"Roguey you will never guess in a million years what is happening," Jubilee continued undisturbed and unaware of the havoc that she had just caused - paying no attention to her fuming friend on the bed.

Marie really did love her friend to bits but she really was clueless sometimes and this was one of them times.

"Try, try and guess," Jubilee yelled in excitement jumping about the room like a crazy banana.

"No you never will so I'll tell you," she burst before Marie could even gather breath. All of the anger and frustration Marie had felt building inside her faded quickly and she couldn't fight the smile that came to her lips. Jubilee was hilarious in this kind of mood.

"All classes are cancelled," she announced.

_What!_

That got Marie's attention and her eyes darted from her study of her ruined shirt to Jubilee who was jumping up and down and clapping her hands.

"Why?" she asked. Classes were never cancelled. In all the time she had been at the mansion she never once remembered classes being cancelled – it just wasn't done. With people like Scott and the professor in the building it was a miracle that they even got any holidays.

Jubilee let out a high pitched squeal.

"We're practising instead,"

"What do you mean 'practising'?" Marie asked, her attention well and truly got. Just what had been happening in the school while she had been having a shower?

"For the auditions tomorrow,"

"What auditions?" Marie was getting more confused by the second.

"The school is putting on a show chica. Can you believe it? This is the most exciting thing ever. I can't believe it," she continued, shrieking in excitement.

Marie couldn't help the feeling of excitement that began to grow inside her. A show. And the school was going to perform it. Forgetting all about the ink stain down her shirt and all over her bed she gave her friend her undivided attention.

"What are we doing?" she asked, a grin coming to her face.

"Beauty and the Beast,"

_Beauty and the Beast! _

Her most favourite story ever and the school were going to perform it.

Marie smiled inwardly, remembering the night that she and Logan had sat in the abandoned rec room one night watching the cartoon. The film never failed to make her feel good. It was such a nice ending – the only thing that was wrong was that he had to turn make into a person at the end. In her eyes the beast was a lot more attractive.

Yes, she could just imagine herself now sitting quite happily in the audience...

"And you and me..."

...lost in her favourite story...

"...are going to knock their socks off at the auditions,"

...as it unfolded before her ey –

"What?"

"You and me Roguey, takin' down the house," Jubilee waved her hands in the air grinning madly.

_What! I don't perform...and I only sing in the shower._

"No way uh uh," Marie shook her head in determination.

Jubilee lowered her arms and the smile faded slowly from her lips and was replaced with first a frown and then a childish frown as her eyes became watery.

Marie only laughed at her friends reaction.

"Oh no you don't Jube," she told her firmly standing up quickly and spinning about, stripping her bed of the ink stained sheets and glad to see that the ink hadn't gone all the way through to her quilt.

"Pleeeeeease. Pleeeeeeeease, pleeeeeeeease, pleeeeeeeeeeeeease," Jubilee begged unashamedly, dancing around Marie as she dumped her bedding near the door to take to the laundry room when she left the room.

"You have such a great voice,"

Marie shook her head trying her best to remain un-touched by her friends begging and flattery.

"Come on girl we are going to make Bobby regret the day he chose Kitty," Jubilee planted herself in front of her with hands on her hips a firm look of determination on her face.

"How?" Mari chocked out having no idea just where her friends crazy thought process had taken her. How was an audition supposed to make Bobby jealous? She didn't even care about making him jealous anyway the lying, cheating weasel. Kitty was welcome to him.

"It is a window of opportunity all we need to do it find you the right song,"

Marie rolled her eyes smiling slightly as she scooped the bedding from the floor and opened the door only to stop as she bumped into a chest as hard as a brick wall.

"Pete, what are you doing?" she gasped, regaining her balance and looking up into the smiling face of Colossus.

"Sorry Rogue, Jubilee told me to come," he smiled picking up the washing she had dropped and handing the pile to her.

"Thanks. Well she's in there," Marie stepped out the door and gestured with her head towards her fuming friend who had obviously not finished the conversation.

"Well...actually she had told me to come and see you," he said rubbing the back of his neck and looking sheepish.

"Why?" Marie raised an eye brow in his direction. She had been hoping for a quick get away from Jubilee but it was not working at all to plan.

"Well...she said...um...that you would do a duet with me,"

Marie fought the urge to scream. This was Jubilee all over - using everyone in her little game.

"Listen Pete, I'm not auditioning OK. I'm sorry," she smiled weakly at him and bolted down the corridor towards the laundry room before guilt made her change her mind.

She opened the door and went straight for the machine and dumped the pile of bedding on the top of it to bend down and get the powder when something caught her eye.

There, mashed up together against the wall was Kitty and Bobby their mouths fused together in what could be classed as a passionate embrace.

_I can't believe this._

She dropped the powder and it landed with a dull thud in the floor and they both stopped, turning to where the noise had came from.

Bobby's face was almost comical in its surprise and embarrassment while Kitty's eyes flashed with victory and spite.

_She knew I was here all along. _

Marie ran from the room and back down the corridor. It was bad enough that he had left her for Kitty and even though she had gotten over it she still felt pain when she saw them being able to do things that she never could. Holding hands...kissing – and not even the full out kissing that she had just caught them doing but the small pecks on the cheek or forehead...

She pushed open the door of her bedroom and slammed it behind her. Pete was still there and Jubilee seemed to have stopped mid-rant about something.

She looked at them both before she spoke.

"I'm in,"

* * *

Logan walked slowly from his room, heading for Marie's. It was early evening and had been a good eight or nine hours since the incident with Marie that morning.

Music was blasting from nearly every room in the building and his heightened senses were screaming with the strain. Stupid idea.

He stood in front of Marie's door and heard some conversation and was surprised to hear no music coming from inside.

"...not sure Jubilee," Marie's voice drifted to him soft and warm and unsure.

What were they doing?

"You'll be fine Pete showed us didn't he, you'll do great,"

Colossus?

Logan took a deep breath the scent of metal stinging his nose. The boy was in the room with them.

"But-"

"No buts,"

"The-"

"No,"

"Jubilee-"

"No,"

An exasperated sigh came from behind the door.

"Rogue you look fine, everything will be fine. Pete tell her," he heard Jubilee order.

"She's right Rogue. Besides there will only be me and you close enough to worry about the outfit and you don't need to worry about me – I can just metal over,"

What were they planning?

Whatever it was Marie was worried about her skin.

"And you look gorgeous,"

Hang on a second.

"I feel stupid,"

Another loud sigh came from the room.

"Only because you are used to the layers and baggy factor you look great,"

Logan decided that he wanted to see what was going on in the room and knocked loudly on the door.

Silence fell in the room.

"I'll get it,"

He heard Jubilee move towards the door and it opened a fraction until only her head was peeking out of the side.

She frowned at him in annoyance.

"Busy sorry," her head disappeared and he just slammed his foot in the gap before the door closed.

"I wanted to talk to Ma-Rogue," he told her as her head once again appeared.

"Umm..." her head disappeared again before re-appearing a second later.

"Sorry Wolvey will have to be tomorrow – top secret planning going on in here. In fact come to the auditions and you can see her then we'll be busy until then. Night,"

Logan just stared in shock at the closed door.

What was that about?

**Hi guys. **

**Poor Marie having a bad morning - I have them all the time ;). **

**OK so let me know if you would like to know what the song that she is going to sing is before the next chapter is put up and I'll post it or you can live in suspense :)**

**Hope you like this chapter.**

**Please let me know what you think. **

**Keep safe and have a great week.**

**:)**


	3. Note

**Hi guys. **

**Sorry but this is not a chapter.**

**Just to let you know that there is a poll on my profile for you to vote for what song they should perform so feel free to vote for the one that you like. **

**Cheers.**

**:-)**


	4. Chapter 3

**I do not own any of the lyrics or songs or X-Men :(**

**Chapter 3**

Once upon a time Marie had actually viewed Jubilation Lee as her friend...her best friend since she had caught Kitty and Bobby, but as she stood in front of her bedroom mirror staring at her reflection she wasn't too sure anymore.

In fact, Marie was pretty sure now that Jubilee was a member of the brother hood in disguise. With all of the skin that she had talked her into exposing she was pretty sure that that was what she was and that by getting her to show so much skin she was trying to kill everyone.

She tugged uncomfortably at the neckline and sleeves, trying to get the material to stretch. She huffed when it didn't go any further and settled for tugging at her gloves instead. Jubilee had thrown a tantrum any three year old would have envied when she refused to be parted form her gloves but she had at least settled for the shortest pair that Marie possessed.

Grabbing a bobble from the side of her table she carefully put her hair up into a tight pony-tail.

She didn't feel like herself at all.

At least she didn't have to worry about Pete accidently touching her, he had already proved that as soon as he came anywhere near her he could switch in his mutation and become pretty much immune to her skin.

After Logan had came to her door last night and Jubilee had sent him packing – the look on his face must have been priceless – they had all crept out her and Jubilee's shared room and headed for the danger room. Every room they past was filled with music belting out of stereos and voices both good and bad.

They were pretty proud of their idea and as soon as they had reached the danger room they knew that they had chosen right. Everybody had been so busy in their attempts to throw themselves straight into practicing that they hadn't thought to go somewhere else – like the silent abandoned danger room for example.

All three of them had walked into the eerie, silent, empty room and Jubilee had immediately switched on her iPod - which was plugged into a set of huge portable speakers - with the backing music to practice with.

And so now it was nearly eleven and she was ready to go and do the most nerve racking thing of her life.

The door of the room burst open and she looked away from her reflection to see Jubilee standing with a grin stuck on her face and Marie's old green coat clutched tightly in her hands.

"Remind me again why you aren't singing," Marie groaned as Jubilee shut the door and spun to face her.

"Because I am the irritating yet adorable and supportive best friend...duh," she replied bounding towards Marie.

She took a habitual step back – not comfortable with all of the skin that was showing.

"Rogue, chill. You will be fine," he friend reassured her.

She rubbed at her bare arms and smiled sheepishly.

"I feel like I am hardly wearing anything," she mumbled.

"It's only because of all of the layers you always wear," Jubilee explained patently for the tenth time that morning.

"What you are wearing isn't even that revealing chica so calm down,"

Marie rolled her eyes. She couldn't wait for the whole thing to be over.

"Here chica you are wearing this until it is your turn," she thrust the jacket at Marie who took it quickly, giving up on the idea of asking any questions.

* * *

Logan hated waiting. He really did. He was more action guy, not a stand around and wait guy – which was probably why he always got an earful from Scooter after missions.

But that was just what he was doing. The whole of the cafeteria had been transformed. A platform had been out in and seats had been placed at a comfortable distance from the make shift stage.

He still couldn't believe that Jubilee had had the nerve to send him away the night before. Being away from Marie had been close to torture and he never wanted to have to repeat the experience ever again.

The crowd of younger students began to chatter excitedly when the professor rolled in. Logan nodded at the older man from his place leaning against the wall. He had a fair view of everything from where he was – which was just the way he liked it.

Closely following the professor was Storm, Jean and Scott who all joined the professor at the front of the seats.

The next fifteen minutes passed like an hour for Logan as the student auditioning filed into the cafeteria. Finally he caught Marie's scent and his eyes stayed glued to the door until she walked through it a few minutes later.

He was shocked at first when he saw her. She was covered form head to toe and he wanted to know what the bouncing banana had planned because he defiantly recognised the grin that was plastered to her face.

"Jubes this outfit doesn't even fit the song," he heard Marie hiss to her friend who promptly rolled her eyes.

"It doesn't matter, you'll be fine," she hissed back.

Time ticked by as each of the groups took their turn. One of the kids who could control the flow of electricity dimmed all the lights but one that kept focused on the stage.

He listened with boredom and sometimes pain as they all went up, plugged in their backing music and proceeded to jump about and sing – or try to.

But he didn't care what they sang or how they sounded; he wanted to know what Marie was doing.

Finally her turn came and he watched as Jubilee darted excitedly to the speaker and attached her music player before darting even quicker to Marie and Pete and tugging Marie's jacket from her.

His mind stuttered to a standstill as he took her him from head to toe in the beam of light.

It wasn't that what she was wearing was revealing – in fact compared to many if the girls it was modest – but for her it was very showy. The sleeves were short and hardly skimmed the top of her arms. Her gloves were only to her wrist and the neck line of her shirt was exposing a fair bit of the white skin of her throat and neck – he could even see her collar bones.

He followed the line if her body further to see that she was wearing her normal jeans – though they did look a little tighter than usual. But there was a slim sliver if deadly white skin revealed between the waistband of her jeans and top.

He saw the blush that swept across her features and knew then that the whole idea had been that friend of hers.

"Chica you'll do great," Jubilee whispered reassuringly before leaving the stage.

He felt jealously surge through him when Pete reached out one huge, bone crushing hand and gently squeezed her tiny gloved one, smiling warmly at her.

The animal within him raged for freedom wanting to rip and tear at the other male.

_Their just friends, their just friends..._

"_Logan I do not think Rogue will appreciate you clawing her friend to death and I will not tolerate you doing such a thing to a student of mine,"_

_I hate it when he does that._

The music began and Logan focused everything in him on Marie.

He could smell he slight nervousness at the situation and the way that she shook when she took in a deep breath.

"_**Tale as old as time  
True as it can be"**_

Her voice was rich and soft as she sang the words to the song, smiling at Pete. There was a maturity to her voice that as far as he was concerned the others girls had lacked with their pop songs.

He listened intently as the song progresses and realised that Pete had a pretty damn good voice too.

He listened to the lyrics and the tune, trying to place where he had heard it before.

"_**...Neither one prepared**_

_**Beauty and the Beast..."**_

Then it hit him that the song they were singing was the one that Marie had hummed to when they had watch the film and he found it secretly amusing that in the excitement of getting to perform all of the other students seemed to have forgotten all about the fact that they were to be in an actual show.

He had never known that his Marie had such a beautiful voice and had kept so quiet about it.

Pete and Marie both turned to face each other in the stage as they softly sang the final lines of the song.

_**"Tale as old as time  
Song as old as rhyme  
Beauty and the Beast" **_

Silence filled the cafeteria and he knew that what Marie had just done had probably shocked all those watching – she was, after all, always so quiet.

After a few seconds the professor began to clap and the whole audience quickly followed his example. He heard some wolf whistles and yelling too and watched as a gorgeous blush covered Marie face as Colossus grabbed her hand. They both bowed to the audience before she darted from the make shift stage and grabbed her jacket from Jubilee.

"Girl, you did great," Jubilee shrieked as she helped Marie into her coat.

"And you...my man you rock," she added turning to Pete and planting a playful punch on his arm.

Their conversation drifted away as they walked to the opposite corner and the next student stepped up.

Now that he had heard Marie this was going to be a very long day.

**Hi everyone. **

**So the song decided on was Tale as Old as Time. **

**Please let me know what you think. **

**Keep safe**

**:) **


	5. Chapter 4

**I don't own any of the lyrics or X-Men boooooo ;)**

**Chapter 4**

"Nervous?"

Marie looked up from her sleepy study of the TV to see Logan standing just inside the door of the rec room, leaning lazily against the door frame.

She smiled at him and shook her head.

"Nah,"

He sauntered into the room and sat down next to her.

She automatically scooted over and laid her head against his chest as his arm wrapped around her shoulders. She snuggled against him and yawned happily.

"You did good darlin'," he mumbled into her hair and she smiled again. He was the only one who wasn't afraid of her skin and what it could do. Sure the others acted like her skin did not bother them but she knew that it did. She could tell by the look that they gave her or the way that they would tense up when she was near. But not Logan...never Logan.

She rubbed her head sleepily into his chest and yawned again.

"Thanks Logan," she mumbled.

After the auditions that morning it was decided that there was to be another audition the next day. One that was to decide who was to play Belle. One between Marie and Kitty.

Marie sighed softly.

She was not looking forward to it, not one little bit.

She closed her eyes and leaned more fully into Logan.

"Can't sleep darlin'?" he asked her softly.

She shook her head. She knew that neither of them needed to go into why she couldn't sleep. It was after all for the same reason that he could not sleep.

"You know I would do anything to take them away darlin'," he told her gently.

"I know Logan," she mumbled sleepily still trying to force her eyes to remain open. She didn't want to go to sleep. She didn't want to face the nightmares that weren't hers.

She felt a shift beside her as Logan moved. He leaned across her and must have grabbed the remote as the faint light coming from the TV vanished and the room was enveloped in darkness.

She felt something press against the top of her head and snuggled deeper into his arms. She loved it when he kissed her.

"Go to sleep darlin'. I'll keep you safe," he whispered and she finally allowed herself to give in.

* * *

Marie stood to the side of the makeshift stage yet again and rubbed at her eyes.

Yesterday the results from the auditions had been made known – two hours after the auditions themselves.

Pete was going to be Gaston, Bobby his creepy little henchman (perfect choice as far as Marie was concerned), Scott was playing Cogsworth and Gambit was to play Lumiere with some of the younger children playing different objects and making up the chorus. The Beast – according to the professor – was a surprise. The one that had not been decided on was Belle. It was a draw between her and ...Kitty.

Marie had not been that bothered about it to begin with – after all, she hadn't been bothered about the whole audition thing anyway but when she had seen the look that Kitty had thrown her the small part of Wolverine that was still in her head flared to life.

But now...now it had warn away and she was back to not really caring. Well...until Kitty's song started anyway.

Jubilee gasped in anger next to her as she concentrated on holding it together.

**'Cause every time we touch, I get this feeling.  
And every time we kiss I swear I could fly.**

"How dare she," Jubilee fumed beside her.

Marie knew what game the other girl was playing but t still stung and when she stared adoringly at Bobby in the crowd her chest clenched.

She walked towards the door. She couldn't do this. But before she could make it that far she felt a strong hand grip her wrist and she was spun into a solid chest. The scent of cigars, motor oil and outdoors filled her senses.

"Logan," she breathed into his chest.

"I know it hurts darlin'," he whispered into her hair.

Marie sighed. She could always count on him to know what was wrong.

"But you are going to get up there and you are going to show everyone how much better you are,"

She drew away from his chest and nodded her head. Breathing deeply as she got her emotions under control.

"That's my girl," he smiled turning her by her shoulders and propelling her back towards the stage.

She could do this.

With a new sense of determination she walked onto the stage as Kitty left it and plugged in her ipod.

She took in a deep breath as she walked up to the microphone and some of the kid manipulating the light focused the beams on her. She breathed steadily and she scanned the audience and saw Logan's reassuring smile and wink. She blushed. Did he just wink at her?

The music reached the point for her to start.

**Energize me with a simple touch  
Or with an open heart  
Energize me, fire up this flame  
That's burning between us **

_Ha, _she thought as she took in a deep breath.

_Two can play at that game Kitty. _

**It lies in everyone  
This swalling energy  
It's all around us too  
Electrifying you  
So can't you set it free?  
This virtue is the key  
Just something we all know  
And we are used**

I can feel  
It's inside me  
Open up  
Enlighten me

She continued to sing the lyrics to the song that she had thought of as hers from the minute that she had heard it.

**Energize me with a simple smile  
Open up your mind  
Energize me activate that light  
That's given and taken**  
She belted out the chorus as the music came to an end and panted for breath.

Can you believe in the power that's burning between us?  
Would you believe if you open up your mind  
Open up your mind

* * *

Logan couldn't believe it. He had never seen Marie let go like that before.

Anger had began to burn inside him when he had listened to what Kitty was singing. He knew that the girl was using any available option to rub Marie's limitations in her face and it had broken his heart to see Marie head for the doors. But he wouldn't let her go. If she left then the girl had won and he would not let that happen. His Marie was better than that kid any day and she and the whole damn school was going to realise that.

So he had stopped her, held her and got her back to the stage and he could not help the smile that came to his lips when she started to sing.

Logan wondered what the next song would be. The professor had made it clear that they were both to perform two songs each...

He had also informed the staff that there would be a visitor who would be performing the part of Beast/Prince Charming.

After the clapping died down from Marie's performance the professor wheeled himself to the front of the stage.

Logan didn't pay that much attention as Marie headed straight for him and stood beside him. He scanned the crowd quickly for her friend and found Jubilee giving Kitty an earful.

"Did great darlin'," he whispered to her just as the professor began to speak.

"I am pleased to introduce you all to – "

"Thanks sugar," she smiled and his heart flipped in his chest.

The girl could floor a guy with a smile like that.

"-who was a student here and has been good enough to volunteer for the production,"

There was more clapping and Logan finally began to pay attention as someone walked from the audience and up onto the stage.

What?

Logan's eyes nearly popped out of his head as he watched the broad shoulder, furry, blue...man (?) take his place.

"Who's the fur ball?" he whispered to Marie who was also staring up at the stage.

"Weren't ya listening sugar," she grinned and he growled playfully at her.

He smiled at the as she giggled.

"That is Henry McCoy, sugar," she explained softly as the mutant introduced himself.

"He was training to be a professional opera singer before his mutation and then he got interested in politics and lab work,"

Logan was surprised at how much Marie and felt a twinge of jealousy.

"How do you know all that Marie?"

"I read it in a science magazine," she mumbled in reply.

"So that's a little bit about me, so I'll leave you to your auditions,"

The professor thanks the man and gestured for Kitty to take the stage again.

Marie sighed next to him as the music started and he leaned in close to her ear.

"Don't worry darlin'," he whispered and he felt the shiver that ran through her.

"I'm not really. I wasn't too bothered about auditioning anyway...it was all Jubilee's idea..."

She trailed of and he could almost see the cogs turning in her head as she watched her ex-friend sing to some pop song he had never heard before. He had to hand it to the other girl, she did have a good voice but it lacked the depth that Marie had.

"My turn sugar,"

He felt the instant loss of her as Marie went back to the stage after the applause had died down from Kitty's performance.

He watched as she plugged in her music and it surrounded the room through the countess number of speaker that had been hooked up around the walls.

She opened her mouth and started.

**It's getting hard to breathe  
Darkness in my head frightens me  
There's a little devil in my mouth  
Writing ugly words for you to shout  
The virgin soul that lived in me  
Is raped by insecurity  
I need you to sing...**

Logan had never heard the song before but he listened with rap attention as Marie reached every note that she had to.

**Sing for me my love  
Sing the right from wrong  
Here inside my mind  
Truth is hard to find**

He wondered if that was how she felt when she absorbed a new personality - if she found it hard to find herself past the other person.

**  
It's getting to crowded here **

He watched as she pulled a face and screwed a finger into the side of her head. He heard some giggle come from the younger children and knew that she had done it for their benefit.

**All alone and playing with my fear  
I don't want this anymore  
I've tied myself down to the floor**

He had never thought about it before but he found himself wondering just what she would do if the opportunity came to get rid of her mutation. To him it was part of who she was but he knew that at times she viewed is as the worse curse there could be.

**Sing for me my love  
Sing the right from wrong  
Here inside my mind  
Truth is hard to find  
**

Everybody stood up as she finished and the room rang with claps, whistles and shouts.

Marie smiled broadly at her schoolmates and bending from he waist she gave them a deep bow.

_That's my girl._

**Hi everyone. Sorry that it has taken so long for me to update I ran out if steam a little bit where this story is concerned. Anyhoo. The next chapter should be more writing and less lyrics.**

**Please let me know what you think. **

**Keep safe.**

**:)**

**Energize Me – Fab song by After Forever**

**Every time we touch – Cascada**

**Sing for Me - Tarja**


	6. Chapter 6

**I still own nothing :( I am only playing with the characters**

**Chapter 5**

Marie sighed with boredom. The classes were continuing as normal with rehearsals and show preparations going on from about one in the afternoon until everyone was too tired to continue and then it was bedtime.

The whole mansion was buzzing with excitement about the up and coming production. The school had never put on anything like it before. The professor always thought it was too dangerous to have visitors to the school with so many young children without control about the place. But now that wasn't an issue. Now the whole world new about Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters, so what did it matter if one of the children slipped up and displayed their 'gift'.

Marie was glad it was happening. Some of the kids who had been to public schools before running away from home or being thrown out had missed the 'normal' aspects of their old education. Normal aspects that didn't include learning where the secret tunnels where, hoping to one day fly the jet, and wondering just how comfortable the X-Suits where. Marie thought back to the team's rather dramatic entrance at the White House and remembered the suit. How there had been one in her size she didn't know. But when you got used to moving just so, to avoid squeak,s it was really comfortable. Storm had winked at her and told her it was just because it was new and once the leather had stretched and worn a bit there would be no embarrassing musical accompaniment when she walked.

Marie dragged herself from her thoughts when one of the children raised their hand and began to wave it. She trotted over quickly. Since she had completed her course work sooner than the rest of her peers (having deadly skin tended to put a bit of a damper on your social life – but hey, she got lots of studying done) she had volunteered to help with the lower classes. Which was why she was now in Storm's American History class with a bunch of adorable under elevens (she had learned that as soon as they hit puberty the kids turned into monsters and grew razor sharp fangs and nails – or it seemed like it anyway)

She answered the little blonde girl's query and began pacing the room again, moving carefully between the desks.

Her thoughts drifted again to her fellow classmates…

She didn't think she wanted to be Belle. She had been getting more than the average poisonous glance from Kitty and she really didn't want to have to deal with the extra teenage filled drama. And then there was the whole touching thing. She didn't like being near to people and she knew that most people didn't like being close to her. She didn't take it personally - or at least she tried not to. She couldn't really blame them. One accidental touch and that would be it. Lack of consciousness and at the worse loss of life. And she wouldn't be able to do anything to stop it. It would be a tidal wave of fear, pain and life and she would be powerless to do anything...powerless. The most powerless, powerful mutant in existence. She couldn't help but appreciate the poetic justice. Shakespeare would have been jealous.

How would things go with the other students on stage? She knew that the youngest members of the student body didn't mind her skin. She had always got on well with kids and had been babysitting them back in Mississippi since she was thirteen but the majority of the 'important' cast was made up of the older residents of the mansion. The only two who were really at home around here were Jubilee and Pete…once she had been able to count Bobby in that small group of students…but not anymore.

She sighed heavily. She really didn't want to have to do this. She wanted to strangle Jubilee. She had enough spunk to power the whole of Manhattan so why didn't she audition? But oh no! She had to do the irritating yet lovable supportive friend roll.

In other words -

'Girl, you are still getting over Bobby – I know you are – and this is the perfect chance to take your mind of it and make him wish he'd never looked twice at Kitty,"

Marie sighed. She really couldn't fault Jubilee's reasoning. Her friend was right – as usual. Marie had taken Bobby's betrayal hard and she had been tempted to take Logan up on his offer to decapitate him.

A small smile flitted across her lips.

Logan - her one rock in the craziness that was her world. Ever since she had basically thrown herself on his mercy he had looked after her. And she loved him for it. She had him in her mind, the feeling of him - his protective nature. And she knew that he didn't do things by half and that he wasn't just hanging around her out of a feeling of obligation. He actually cared about her. And his friendship was the steadiest thing in her life, and she knew that she could always count on it…

**With Logan**

Logan rubbed his hands with a dirty grease marked cloth, only really spreading the dark oil on his skin rather than removing it.

He reached for his beer bottle and took a deep swig, swallowing loudly. One Eye would have a kitten if he saw him drinking in the garage – again – and Logan was actually hoping that he would come out and catch him. Scott was so easy to get riled up and it was one of Logan's non too secret amusements.

Marie wasn't too happy about him drinking either, especially since he could put way a whole distillery without feeling any side effects. She thought it was setting a bad example to the younger ankle biters. So he allowed her to 'bully' him into cutting down his alcohol consumption around the kids. The truth was he would do anything for Marie especially when most of the time it resulted in getting a 'Marie hug' which would consist of several broken ribs and a punctured lung if it wasn't for his metal lined bones and extreme healing ability.

He smiled to himself.

Marie's hugs were just like her. Warm and filled with love. And what made her hugs even more special was that he was the only person to get them. He knew that she gave her little friends girly hugs which were just quick one second squeezes. But not him. He got proper bone crushing hugs that made his day.

He put the bottle down and began to tidy up the tool, slamming the lid on the box and sliding it behind the work bench. He had stopped just leaving out when he has came to use it and found – to his horror – that every spanner, nut and bolt had been organised by size and type. He was not ricking having that happen again.

His heart picked up a beat when the soft scent of a little southern belle reached his nose. That was another thing he loved about Marie. She didn't cover herself in the cloying, nose burning scents that any of the female inhabitants of the mansion were guilty of doing. He wondered if that had something to do with having him in her head. He had never really considered that before.

"Ready for dinner sugar?"

Marie's smiling voice brought an answering smile to his own lips as she came into sight from around the side of the garage. He nodded and walked towards her reaching to put his arm around her waist.

She backed up, hands up and a mischievous smile on her face.

"Don't even think about it Logan! You are not ruining another one of my shirts with motor grease," she told him firmly, shaking her head at him and still backing up.

"Afraid of a little oil are ya darlin'," he grinned savagely. The animal in him spotting the pray in front of him.

Marie obviously saw the change in his expression because the smile slowly faded from her face.

"Logan…?"

He continued towards her, and then leapt.

She squealed and ducked out of the way, spinning and making a beeline for the mansion.

He ran after her, revelling in her giggles that filled the air.

"I mean it Logan," she shouted, although it sounded more like a laugh to him as he bounded close behind her.

"You're replacing my clothes if you dare –"

She was cut of rapidly when , with one quick burst of speed, Logan grabbed her hand, jerked her backwards and swung her over his shoulder. All in one fluid movement.

She giggled and squealed, hitting his back in mock protest.

"You…you…ugh," she grumbled from behind him.

"Logan, you are replacing these jeans, and the blouse, and the gloves! You've got oil all over them!" she whined, but the giggle was still in her voice so he knew she wasn't too angry with him.

He would buy her a whole wardrobe if the end result was her laughing so happily.

**Hi everyone!**

**I am so sorry for taking so long to update. Real life and all that jazz got in the way I'm afraid. **

**I hope you like this chapter sorry for the lack of story. Please let me know what you think. **

**Take care**

**PS – I have added a 'where you can find me' bit to my profile with links :-)**


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